Delhi, Baroda get a point each

New Delhi, Nov 20 (IANS) Four centuries and 1066 runs scored in the match went wasted as both Delhi and Baroda proved incapable of taking a first innings lead, let alone a win, in the Ranji Trophy Group B tie held at the Ferozeshah Kotla here Tuesday.

As a result both teams settled for a point each.

Delhi, who resumed the final day at 215/3 chasing a target of 561−plus set by Baroda, saved the Test by playing out the entire day, losing only three wickets and scoring 290 runs to end their innings at 505/6 declared.

Veterans Mithun Manhas and Rajat Bhatia came to Delhi's rescue again by scoring 106 and 133 not out, respectively.

In−form batsman Manhas, who had also scored a century in their last match against Odisha here at the Kotla, struck 15 boundaries to score his 22nd first class hundred while comeback man Bhatia proved his worth in the side by, first, taking three wickets and then scoring the unbeaten century. His innings included 13 splendid boundaries and one six.

The pair added 133 runs for the fourth wicket but more importantly played out 53.3 overs of the match to save Delhi the blushes.

After Manhas got out, the hosts lost another two wickets of wicketkeeper batsman Puneet Bisht (10) and Manan Sharma (17). At 398/6, with approximately 25 overs left to play, light permitting, Delhi looked in more than a spot of bother.

But all−rounder Sumit Narwal played another important innings of an unbeaten 65 runs as he partnered Bhatia to forge an unbeaten 107−run partnership for the seventh wicket in 24 overs which denied Baroda of bowling out the hosts and taking three points in stead of one.

Slow left−armer Bharghav Bhatt toiled hard to get three wickets in his 48 overs for the visitors.

At the end of the third round, Delhi tops Group B with eight points while Baroda are sixth with seven.

In the next round of matches beginning Nov 24, Delhi play Tamil Nadu here while Baroda visit Haryana at Lahli.

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